Demonstrations, salutations greet Saudi prince
Tunisians protest death of journalist Khashoggi
TUNIS, Tunisia — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a personal welcome Tuesday from Tunisia’s president, who greeted his guest at the airport, after two days of protests in the capital that reflected international concern about the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, who turns 92 on Thursday, honored the prince with a rare display of high protocol, from a salute to the flags to the sound of the national anthems before the two reviewed troops.
They then headed to the presidential palace in Carthage, outside Tunis, for closed-door talks, the only scheduled activity during the brief visit by the prince.
The official welcome contrasted with hostile protests by non-governmental representatives and leftist political parties. More than 200 people protested Tuesday to cries of “Tunisia is not for sale.” Some burned a Saudi Arabian flag, and others brandished saws.
There was no visible hostility during visits to a handful of other countries.
A banner showing a doctored image of the prince holding a bone saw hung on the headquarters of the Tunisian journalists union. Turkish officials say Khashoggi’s body was dismembered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last month.
Saudi authorities have blamed the killing on lower-ranking officials.
A day earlier, about 200 protesters gathered in the same spot to say the crown prince wasn’t welcome in this North African nation.
A youth activist group that criticizes Saudi limits on women’s rights was among those demonstrating Tuesday. “No to Repression of Freedom of Expression,” read one sign.
“We’re here to say no, 1,000 times no to the visit by the criminal bin Salman,” said protester Said Arous.
Traveling abroad for the first time since the killing, the crown prince is visiting Arab allies before heading to a Group of 20 summit in Argentina this week.
Tunisian President Essebsi’s office said Tunisia denounces the journalist’s killing and wants a full investigation, but doesn’t want it to be used to destabilize Saudi Arabia. Asked about the prince’s visit, Tunisian government minister Selma Elloumi said he is “welcome” in Tunisia and stressed “historical and fraternal” relations between the countries.
The Tunisian journalists’ union sent a letter to the president calling the visit an “attack on the principles” of the 2011 revolution that brought democracy and freedom of expression to Tunisia.
Saudi Arabia offered refuge to the autocratic ruler that Tunisians overthrew in 2011, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and democracy activists have denounced Riyadh’s refusal to extradite him.
A dozen Tunisian non-governmental organizations issued a joint statement saying the visit is aimed at cleaning up the crown prince’s image after the Khashoggi death.